seedling even at this young stage and early date (May 12) the yellow buds are conspicuous on last year's growth

fruit

bud
the yellow bud is distinctive

bud

leaf scar

barka young plant with diameter 2-3 inches

barka slightly larger size

barklarger trunk and the characteristic fissures are becoming deeper

Carya cordiformis is one of the easiest tree species
to identify. The yellow bud alone makes it difficult to mistake for
another species and combined with the alternate compound leaves and
relatively large nuts (if present) it is very distinctive. The nuts
are reported to be bitter, as one of the common names suggests. The husks have obvious ridges or even short wings and they are very thin compared to Carya ovata. The
lighter-colored shallow cracks in the young bark are roughly similar
to those of young Carya ovata, but the mature bark of Carya
cordiformis does not split so deeply. Each leaf usually has 7-9
leaflets (but a few may have only 5).

Carya cordiformis grows most often in deciduous
forests, but it is seldom if ever a dominant species. It does best in
southern Wisconsin and is apparently absent from the extreme northern
counties.